Discharge valve with floating check



Dec. 25, 1951 F. B- ALLEN ET AL 2,579,457

DISCHARGE VALVE WITH FLOATING CHECK Filed-Feb. 3, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTORS FHA NK 5,414.5 4N0 NORM/Ml h. 5/55 ENS Dec. 25, 1951 F. B. ALLEN ETAL DISCHARGE VALVE WITH FLOATING CHECK 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1949 INVENTORS F/Pfl/V/(B. ALLEN/Wu NORMAN/7. 5/EBEN6 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATS ATENT OFFICE 'DISCHAEGE VALVE WITH FLOATING CHECK Frank B. Allen, Towaco, and Norman H. Siebens, East Orange, N. J., assignors to C-O-Two Fire Equipment Company, Newark, N. .L, a corporation of Delaware Application February 3, 1949, Serial No. 74,356

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for releasing high pressure fluid from a container, and a device in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for use as a discharge valvefor fire extinguishing fluid stored under .high pressure such as carbon dioxide.

In a conventional fire extinguishing system. utilizing carbon dioxide, the extinguishing fluid generally stored in :a high pressure container which, by reason of the large pressures involved,

is made comparatively small, a plurality of containers being arranged in a bank and connected to a common manifold for the transmissionof the fireexti-nguishing fluid to the area to be "pro tected. Each of the containers of fire extinguishing fluid is provided with a discharge valve to releasably retain the fluid in the container. In such systems upon the discharge of the containers it is often desirable to remove the discharge containers and transport them to a filling station to be recharged with new extinguishing fluid. Accordingly, .it is desirable that the con tainer be readily removable from the system in which it is installed. a i

.In other instances, the extinguishers are of the portable type using carbon dioxide as the iire ex-- tinguishing fluid wherein the discharge valve is.

fitted with .a manually actuated control mechanism, a discharge hose being providedfor the outlet of the valve and a discharge horn being aflixed to the end of the hose. In such cases the combination discharge horn and hose assembly, is comparatively large in size and it may be expedient to remove the control head andhorn and hose assembly as a unit, and transmit only the container and its valve for recharging.

In other cases it has been found by reason of the congested area in which the devices are placed, or .for other reasons, that itis advisable to provide a connection between the extinguisher and the control device of a construction such that.

mg check assembly adapted to pressure seala joint made up witha hand tightened connection.

Another object of the inventionlis toprovidea discharge valve which is simple and economical in manufacture, eflicient in operation and .du-;

rable in use.

A discharge valve in accordance with the in-- vention is advantageous in that the tightness of the joint is entirely dependent upon the pressure of the stored fluid. The tightness of the usualmechanical connection is fixed irrespective of the temperature of its parts. It can be appreciated.

that a tighter connection is necessary for use under comparatively high temperature conditions as the pressure of the container is then.

greater than when the temperature is very low.

Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawing which; shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: a Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a dis charge valve in accordance with the invention,

the valve being shown in the closed position.

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1. and in which the valve is shown in the-open. position. Arrows are placed .on the drawing toindicate the direction of flow of the fluid beingreleased from the container.

.Referring to the drawings there is shown a, fragmentary view of the upper portion ofthe container 1 which is closed by a discharge valve 2. The container of the conventional type used. to store high pressure fluids. This discharge valve 2 is comprised of two main parts, a lower valve portion 4 and an upper control portion 5. The, upper end of the container .1 is provided with a neck portion 6 having an opening I internally, threaded to receive an exteriorily threaded lower.

portion 9 of the discharge valve 4. A syphon tube l0 may be provided extending from the valve 4- to the lower portion of the container l in order,

that fluid in the liquid stage may be discharged from the container under its own vapor pressure.

The valve portion 4 may be formed of any suitable material, such as brass, and is gen-- erally tubular in shape, with a fluid passage, I! extending therethrough. Upper end i2 .01. the fluid passage II is enlarged to provide a A crosswise extending passage l4 intersecting the passage H is provided having valve chamber.

one end closed by the usual safety disc 15 which is retained .in position .by a usual recoil. plug 56 in threaded engagement with the walls of. the passage. The recoil plug it has a plurality I] to provide for a balanced discharge in the event the safety Ediso of discharge openings is ruptured.

The opposite end of theflpassage l4 'is ena iarged and threaded to receive a retaining ring l8, sealed by a gasket iii, the retaining ring l3 having on its inner side a valve seat 28 adapted to be closed by a valve member 2!. This passage is used for the recharge of the extinguisher. In order to perform the recharging operation, a. conventional coupling leading to a source of supply may be attached to a threaded extension 22 extending outwardly past the valve member 2| and adapted to be normally protected by a cap 24.

The valve chamber formed by the enlarged upper end of the passage l2 has its inner wall threaded to receive a partition or plug member 25 with a passage 26 extending therethrough. The lower end of the partition member 25 is formed with a valve seat 21 encircling the passage 26, and its upper end is formed with a hexagonal shape or with vertically extending grooves as indicated at 28 to provide a fluid passage between it and the adjoining wall. A valve member 29 is provided to coact with the valve seat 2! to close the passage, the valve member being resiliently urged against its seat by a spring 30 having one end abutting the bottom of the valve member while its other end abuts against the shoulder formed at the lower end of the passage [2. The valve member is normally seated by pressure of the fluid stored within the container l, the spring 30 being intended principally to retain the valve member 29 against its seat 2! when the container is empty.

The upper control portion is formed of a tubular body member 3|, having an opening 32 extending therethrough. The opening is enlarged at its lower end to provide a cylinder 34 and still further enlarged at its bottom end to receive the upper end of the partition or plug member 25.

v At the upper end of the control portion is the control mechanism 36 overlying and threadedly engaged with the end of the control portion as indicated at 39, the upper end of the passage 32 is reduced in size to slidably receive a sleeve member 40 attached at its lower end 4! to upper end of a tubular member 42 by a threaded connection. The lower end of the tubular member 42 is provided with inlet apertures 43. The inner surface of the upper end of the slidable member 40 is threaded to engage with the lower threaded end of an operating stem 44 which in turn has a splined upper end 45 to receive a wheel member 46 secured in threaded engagement with the end of the stem 44 by a cap nut 41. The slidable member 4! is splined as indicated at 4.3 to prevent its rotating and it is apertured to provide discharge openings 49 corresponding in size to the lower inlet apertures 43 and positioned opposite a discharge outlet 50 in the upper end of the side of the control portion 5. The usual discharge manifold or hose connection 5'. is adapted to be threadedly engaged in the discharge outlet 50. A check ball 52 is slidably positioned within the sliding member ii! and is retained thereby by the upper end of the tubular member 42 so that in its downward position the check ball seals off the passage of fluid flowing in through the discharge outlet while it readily permits the passage of fluid outwardly from the tubular member 42 to the passage 32 and thence through the discharge outlet into the manifold or hose 5!. The cap member 3! provided with a gasket recess 53 at its upper end to receive any usual gasket 54. A ball bearing 55 is positioned above the gasket 54 to facilitate the turning of the wheel 46. A locking arrangement is provided by a pin 56 extending through an aperture 51 of the wheel 46 into an aligned aperture 58 in a clamping ring 59 positioned about the cap member 31 and secured against rotation by a set screw 60. A chain 6| may be used to attach the pin 56 to the cap member.

The upper control portion 5 is secured in position above the valve portion 4 by a union mem ber 62 having an inwardly turned flange 63 at its upper end adapted to overlie an outwardly extending flange 64 on the lower end of the upper portion 5. The upper end of the valve portion 4 is threaded on its outer surface to engage with cooperating threads on the inner surface of the union member 62 as indicated at 65. Cooperating apertures 65 are provided in the cap member and through the lower edge of the upper portion 4 so as to vent the lower end of the cylinder through the passage 28. The union member 62 is adapted to be turned by hand to provide a connection of ample tightness.

A leak-proof connection is assured between the control portion 5 and the valve portion 4 by means of a floating check assembly 10, reciprocably slidable in the cylinder 34 about the tubular member 42. The floating check assembly 10 is formed in tubular shape with an opening H extending therethrough, the upper end of the opening being enlarged as indicated at I2 so that when in the upwardposition space is provided for the lower end 4| of the slidable member 44.

A gasket recess 14 on the wall of the opening H of the check assembly H1 is provided for a gas ket 15. Another gasket recess 16 is provided on the outer surface of the check assembly 10 for a gasket TI to assure a fluid tight connection with the walls of the cylinder 34.

Still another gasket recess '19 is provided on the flattened bottom surface of the check assembly 10 to receive a gasket adapted to abut against the flattened surface on the top of the tubular partition member 25. The lower end of the cylinder wall 34 is threaded to engage with a retaining ring 8l' to hold the floating check assembly from moving out of the cylinder 34 when the control portion 5 is separated from the valve portion 4.

In assembling the discharge valve 2, the lower valve portion 4' is generally connected to the container l and charged with a high pressure fluid.

The control portion 5 is connected to the hose or.

manifold 5|. The tubular member 42 is inserted in the passage 26- of the plug member 25 and the union member 62 hand tightened to draw the two parts into position. The floating check assembly 10 will probably drop by gravity against the plug member 25 so that the gasket 80 abuts the top flattened surface of the plug member.

The container l is discharged by removing the pin 56 and turning the wheel member 46 thereby turning the stem 44 which by reason of' its double threaded connection with the sliding member 40 depresses the lower end of the tubular member 42 against the valve member 29. The released fluid, as may be seen by the arrows in Figure 2, flows upwardly through the passage II around the valve member 29 through the inlet openings 43 and into the tubular member 42 to. raise the check ball 52 upwardly. The fluid then passes through the outlet openings 49 into the cylinder 34 and through the discharge outlet 50. The pressure of the fluid in the cylinder 34 urges the floating check valve'assembly 10 downwardly in tight content.withthe input the plug member .29 to providea leak-proof seal between the HD1 91 and lower portions. The :gasketflfi preventsl leakage between the wall :of the cylinder 34 and the check assembly while the gasket 19 prevents :leakage between the plug member .25 and the; check assembly.

.In the event theupper :control portion 55 is 'connected :to a manifold while the flower valve portion '4 and fits cylinder are removed as during a recharging operation, and other containers attached to the :manifold are discharged, the floating check assembly Fill and the check ball152 :acts to prevent a flow of the fluid :fromthe imaniiold to the atmosphere. In -.thisevent the pressure; i611 the fluid causes the floating check assembly to slide down on the tubular member 42 until Ire strained by the retaining ring :8 I... The gaskets and :15 prevent the passage ofthe fluid along the cylinder wall 34 and along the tubular member 42, while the check ball 52 prevents "the flow of fluid through the tubular member 42.

. While the invention has been illustrated and described with reference to aspecific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that other embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore the for-m of the invention .set out :above should be considered as illustrative and not as qimi ting the $800138 oi the following claims.

T We claim:

A discharge valve for a high pressure fluid container comprising "a housing in separable portions-vvith a fluid passage extending therethrough, one portion including a valve and adapted to be attached toa container, theother portion including control mechanism and a discharge outlet and adapted 'i-o be attached to the va lve' portion, means to attach the two portions together, a valve actuating member adapted to extend from the control portion to the valve portion to actuate the valve, and a floating check member slidably positioned about the valve actuating member and adapted to be urged against the lower portion to seal the intersection between the two separable portions.

2. A discharge valve fora high pressure fluid container comprising a housing inseparable portions with a fluid passage extending therethrough, one portion including a valve and adapted to be attached to a containc the other portion including control mechanism and a discharge outlet and adapted to be attached to the valve,

portion, the control portion including a cylinder, means to attach the two portions together, a tubular member adapted to extend from the control portion to the valve portion to actuate the valve, and a floating check member slidably positioned about the tubular member in the cylinder and adapted to be urged against the lower portion to seal the intersection between the two separable portions. 7

3. A discharge valve for a high pressurefluid container comprising a housing in separable portions and having a fluid passage extending therethrough, the fluid passage of the lower portion enlarged to form a valve chamber, the fluid passage of the upper portion enlarged to form a cylinder, apertured partition means separating the valve chamber from the cylinder, means to attach the two portions of the housing together, a valve member in the valve chamber to close the fluid passage, a tubular member extending through the partition to actuate the valve member, a control mechanism at one end of the tubular member, the other end or tubular enema ber adapted to \"contact the 'valvetmemberto DI!- seat it-under action of the. control mechanism, and a floating ch'eckassembl-y having-an aperture thercthrough, the check assembly positioned about the tubular member in the cylinder and adapted to slide. L011 thetubular :member to con-- tact the partition to .seal the intersectionbetween the check assembly and the partition.

4. A discharge valve for a high pressure fluid container comprising a housing in separable :portionsha'nd having a fluid passage extending therethrough, the fluid passage of the'lower portion ien-' larged to .form a valve chamber, the fluid passage of the upper portion enlarged to form a cylinder, apertured partition means separating the valve chamber from the cylinder, and having a net up' per surface, means. to attach the two portions of the housing together, a valve member in the valve chamber to close the. passage, a tubular member extending through thezpartition, a control mechaanism at one end of "the tubular member, the other end ofthe tubular member adapted to-contact the valve member to unseat it under the action of the control mechanism, and a floating checkassembly'lraving-an aperture 'thereth-rough,

the assembly having a flat lower surface, the

check assembly positioned about the tubular member in the cylinder and adapted to 'isli'de thereon to contact the flat uppersuiifa-ce. ofthe partition to seal the space between the check assembly and the partition.

5. A discharge valve for-"a high pressure fluid container comprising :a housing in separable portions and having a fluid passage extending therethrough, the fluid passage of the lower portion enlarged to form :a valve chamber, the fluid "passage of the upper portion enlarged to form a cylinder, apertured partition means separating the valve chamber from the cylinder, and having a flat upper surface, means to 'attach the two portions of the housing together, a valve member in the valve chamber to close the passage, a tubular member extending through the partition, a control mechanism at one end of the tubular member, the other endof the tubular member adapted to contact the valve member :to urrseat it under the action of the control mechanism, a floating check assembly having an aperture therethrough,

the assembly having :a flat lower surface. thecheck assembly positioned about the tubular member in the cylinder and adapted to slide thereon to contact the flat upper surface of the partition to seal the space between the tubular member and the partition, the check member having a gasket recess on its outer surface facing the cylinder wall, another gasket recess on its aperture wall facing the tubular member and still another gasket recess on its lower surface facing the partition, and gasket material in the gasket recesses.

6. A discharge valve control for a high pressure fluid container comprising a housing having upper and lower separable portions and having a fluid passage extending therethrough, the lower portion having its fluid passage enlarged at its upper end to form a valve chamber, an apertured partition member threadedly engaged with the wall of the valve chamber to form an end wall therefor, a valve seat formed about the aperture in the partition member inside the valve chamber, a valve member in the valve chamber adapted to coact with the valve .seat to close the fluid passage, resilient means in the valve chamber to normally urge the valve member into contact with its seat, the outside surface of the upper end of the lower'portion having a threaded surface, the lower end of the upper portion having an annular flange, a union member having an inwardly turned flange to retain it in position above the flange of the upper portion, the union member having a threaded inner surface to engage with the threaded outer surface of the lower portion, the upper portion having its fluid passage enlarged to form a cylinder and having a discharge outlet, control mechanism at the upper end of the cylinder, a tubular member having an aperture in its upper wall adjacent the outlet and having an aperture in its lower wall, the tubular member adapted to extend through the apertured partition member and to unseat the valve member under the action of the control mechanism whereby the high pressure fluid enters the tubular member through its lower aperture and is discharged from the upper aperture into the cylinder and to the outlet, a floating check member: slidably positioned in the cylinder about the tubular member, and a retaining ring threadedly engaged with the lower edge of the cylinder to retain the floating check member in the cylinder, whereby under the pressure of fluid in the cylinder the floating check member is urged into a sealing relationship with the partition member to prevent leakage between the separable portions of the housing.

7. A discharge valve for a high pressure fluid container comprising a housinghaving upper and lower separable-portions and having afluid passage extending therethrough, the lower portion having its fluid passage enlarged at its upper end to form a valve chamber, an apertured partition member threadedly engaged with the wall of the valve chamber to form an end wall therefor, a valve seat formed about the aperture in the partition member inside the valve chamber, a valve member in the valve chamber adapted to coact with the valve seat to close the fluid passage, resilient means in the valve chamber to normally urge the valve member into contact with its seat, the outside surface of the upper end of the lower'portion having a threaded surface, the lower end of the upper portion having an annular flange, a union member having an inwardly turned flange to retain it in position above the flange of the upper portion, the union member having a threaded inner surface to engage with the threaded outer surface of the lower portion, the upper portion having its fluid passage enlarged to form a cylinder and having a discharge outlet, control mechanism at the upper 3 Number end of the cylinder, a tubular member having an aperture in its upper wall adjacent the outlet and having an aperture in its lower wall, the tubular member adapted to extend through the apertured partition member and to unseat the valve member under the action of the control mechanism whereby the high pressure fluid enters the tubular member through its lower aperture and is discharged from the upper aperture into the cylinder and to the outlet, a floating check member slidably positioned in the cylinder about the tubular member, a retaining ring threadedly engaged with the lower edge of the cylinder to retain the floating check member in the cylinder, the floating check member having a gasket recess on each of it contacting surfaces,

and gasket material in the recesses, whereby un-- der the pressure of fluid in the cylinder the floating check member is urged into a sealing relationship with the partition member to prevent leakage between the separable portions of the housing.

8. A discharge valve control for a high pressure fluid container comprising a housing having a fluid passage extending therethrough, the housing having its fluid passage enlarged to form a cylinder and having a discharge outlet, control mechanism at the upper end of the cylinder, a tubular member having an aperture in its upper wall adjacent the outlet and having an aperture in its lower wall, a ball check member adapted to close the passage in the tubular member against a flow of fluid inwardly from the discharge outlet, a floating check member slideably positioned in the cylinder about the tubular member, and a retaining ring engaged with the lower edge of the cylinder to retain the floating check member in the cylinder, whereby under the pressure of fluid in the cylinder the floating check member is urged against the retaining ring to prevent leakage between the tubular member and the cylinder walls.

FRANK B. ALLEN. NORMAN H. SIEBENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenceslare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,799,727 Byars Apr. '7, 1931 2,112,146 Giovanni Mar. 22, 1938 2,336,282

Mueller Dec. '1, 1943 

